


Fifty Shards of Titanite

by FanficsbyVe



Category: Dark Souls II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cunnilingus, F/M, Light Bondage, Safe Sane and Consensual
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-08
Updated: 2016-03-08
Packaged: 2018-05-25 12:07:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,157
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6194575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FanficsbyVe/pseuds/FanficsbyVe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shanalotte and the Bearer of the Curse find that bad erotic novels sometimes contain interesting ideas. One-shot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fifty Shards of Titanite

**Author's Note:**

> A minor writing credit goes to my boyfriend CalSantiago. He's the one that came up with the title and the Dark Souls parody of an erotic novel. We really should stop getting together when it comes to Soulsborne smut...

If anyone knew about Shanalotte’s new guilty pleasure, she was sure she’d never hear the end of it. The Emerald Herald was currently holed up in her bathroom, her nose stuck in the kind of book that would definitely not be suited for any kind of literary club. She just couldn’t help it. As terrible as these novels obviously were, she was devouring them.

A few days ago, she had gone to the bookstore, bored out of her mind. She had simply been browsing, only to swiftly become annoyed at the clerk. Said clerk was a ditzy discount cheerleader named Chloanne, who followed her around rattling off the bestseller list of that week. In the end, she was so fed up that she simply grabbed the first paperback she saw, had her ring it up and got the hell out of there.

It was only back home that she realized, with no small amount of horror, that she had in fact bought an erotic novel. One catering to a light bondage fetish to be precise. Her kneejerk was to return the damned thing immediately, then to burn it when it meant facing Chloanne again. In the end, however, she decided that since she bought it, she might as well have a look at it. After all, it was possible it was so bad it was actually funny.

As such, it was rather embarrassing when half a day later, she found herself having finished the book and being notably red-cheeked. Even more so when she realized she might actually deal with Chloanne again to see what else this author had written. Indeed, she had fallen far, very fast.

So here she was after work, sitting at home on a closed toilet while devouring a whole stack of light bondage novels and enjoying every second of it. Why, she still didn’t know. Maybe it was something she was curious about or escapism from her own sometimes boring marriage. 

She and her husband Brendan were currently in a slow, upwards climb from a dysfunctional relationship. An accumulation of unstable childhoods, previous shitty partners, her depression and his choices coping with it had left them both bitter and resentful, with her being frustrated at the slightest thing and him retreating at the slightest sign of anger. While they still loved each other and never strayed, it often got buried under all the issues and it seemed like every interaction between them turned into a masochistic tango. It had taken the humiliation conga line that was the couple’s yoga class set up by Shalquoir to finally beat some sense into them and start sorting out the mess.

Still, while things were definitely improving, married life wasn’t always that exciting. It wasn’t her husband’s fault; he wasn’t a bad lover at all. It was rather a fact of life that came with tying the knot and as she had no intentions of being unfaithful, the books likely provided the kind of stimulations others might find in an affair or strip club. Either way, it was a little treat and as far as she was concerned, no one else had to know.

“Shanalotte? Shan? Are you in there? I really need to go! Hey! Shan, please?”

Shanalotte jumped and nearly cursed as there was suddenly a loud pounding on the door. It seemed that her husband Brendan, the Bearer of the Curse, was back from work already. Worse, he was clearly in desperate need of a piss.

Not wanting him to catch her reading these books, she quickly looked around while contemplating her options. She couldn’t take them outside with her without him noticing, so she resorted to the next best thing. She rapidly stuffed the books into the hamper nearby and closed the lid, before walking out as nonchalantly as possible.

“Hey Bren. Here you go, all yours.”

She hoped to hell that he didn’t notice her flushed face and quietly breathed a sigh of relief as he went in without so much as a word. She quickly slipped into the living room, getting to work on sorting the mail her husband brought in. She was just about to settle a bill when she heard Brendan call out to her.

“Shan, come here for a moment?”

Figuring he was probably out of toilet paper, she up, grabbed a roll from the storage and headed up. Except when she got there, she quickly realized this was no matter of bathroom emergencies. A small matter she realized a little too late.

Brendan stood in the doorway, shirtless and clearly in the process of changing out of his dirty clothes. His shirt was in one hand. In the other was one of her guilty pleasures.

“Er… I found these in the hamper. Do you know how they got there?”

Shanalotte didn’t even get the chance to deny they were hers. Her face, displaying a growing similarity to a lobster, already told him enough and even someone as clueless as Brendan was smart enough to catch on. The look on his face held the middle between astonishment and amusement. Unfortunately, the Emerald Herald noted, there was more of the latter.

“Well, I don’t recall this being on the book club recommendations list…”

Noting the obvious glee in his voice, a now red-faced Shanalotte stomped over, ready to rip the book from his hands and maybe give him a good slap on the side. Sadly, her husband had at least ten inches over her and simply responded by holding it out of her reach. Her desperate attempts to grab it only made him laugh.

“Okay, now I have to wonder what’s in it.”

He took a deep breath and looked at the cover. “ _Fifty Shards of Titanite_ by Big Hat Logan. Ah, so that’s what he was doing in the Duke’s Archives…”

“Seriously, Bren, put the book down!”

Normally, that commanding tone of voice would’ve been enough to cow him into submission, but the Bearer of the Curse didn’t seem to care at all. He started to read out loud, in the most sexy, dramatic voice he could muster.

“And then he started to move lower and lower, moving his tongue sinuously against her warm flesh…”

“No! Stop! Stop reading!”

“And he stood up, went to a nightstand in the corner and pulled out a huge chunk of blue titanite…”

“Bren, I swear, I’m going to murder you! With dung pies! Painfully!”

But the Bearer of the Curse merely smirked and kept on reading, ignoring his wife’s frantic protests. “”Ah! Ah,” she yelled, her toes curling and her knees giving out as the weapon was reinforced into an Enchanted +5…”

That was the point he was laughing so hard that he doubled over and lowered the book. Shanalotte seized her chance and snatched it, making a mad dash for the bedroom and locking the door. She looked around for a moment, wondering whether to get in bed and pull the covers over her head or inquire if Drangleic law allowed divorce over sheer mortification. 

“I still have the rest of the volumes, you know.”

“Shove it, Brendan!”

“Come on, Shan. I was just messing around. It’s not _that_ bad, even though the books are.”

She didn’t respond, quietly huffing to herself and he continued. “So how many of those do you have hidden around the house anyway?”

Still annoyed, she responded this time. “More than you’ll ever be able to find.”

She was lying, of course. But after this, she quite liked the idea of her husband on a wild goose chase looking for stuff that wasn’t there. Brendan didn’t seem very fazed though. 

“So…you wanna try that kind of stuff sometime? Without the titanite shard?”

Shanalotte nearly choked on her own spit. “What?!”

“I’m just saying. The book may be terribly written, but if you actually read it, that means it must’ve turned you on somehow, right?”

“Go fuck yourself, Brendan.”

“That’s what I’ve been doing, until very recently at least. Don’t tell me you haven’t been enjoying the change as well…”

Instantly, she felt her face flush. He had a point. Their sex life had improved a lot since they started working on their marriage. She very much enjoyed being intimate again and her husband was a good lover. Still, she wasn’t sure if she was willing to do _that_ with him.

Reading about it was different. It felt more like voyeurism with no negative side to it on her end. To actually be the one on the receiving end seemed like a scarily vulnerable position to be in. Besides, why was her husband so eager to suggest this particular kind of setup? Did he like the idea of her being helpless while he was able to do whatever he pleased to her?

On the other hand, this was Brendan. He had always been a considerate lover and careful not to hurt her despite being a lot larger and heavier than her. Plus, unlike the jerkass in the book, he was unlikely to try and shove a blue titanite chunk up her anus. Maybe she should give it a go, if only because he might shut up about this embarrassing incident afterwards.

She took a deep breath and gathering whatever was left of her dignity, she opened the bedroom door. “If we do this, will you never mention it, or the books, to any other being with a pulse? Ever?”

The Bearer of the Curse gave his wife a sincere smile as he slowly walked into the bedroom. “Of course. You have my word. Knight’s honor.”

She huffed a little. “Knight’s honor doesn’t extend into the bedroom, you o…”

That was about as far as she got with that sentence. Within seconds, Brendan was onto her. He pressed his mouth to hers, pulling her body flush against his. She was more than a little startled by his sudden eagerness, but she didn’t get time to think. She found herself on the bed within seconds, with her husband on top of her eagerly pressing his tongue into her mouth, exploring every inch of it. 

His attention was insistent, but not forceful and she quickly started to lose her earlier apprehension. She could feel his large hands slide across her frame, stroking her through her clothes. After a while, she could feel his hands slip under the fabric. His rough fingers caressed the skin, causing her to shiver a little. 

She had to admit she liked feeling Brendan’s hands on her. With their renewed efforts to make their marriage work, sexual desire had returned to their relationship as well. They had started to regularly have sex again and the intimacy seemed to greatly improve their life together. 

The Bearer of the Curse had changed a lot as well. He had stopped overeating and had lost a notable amount of weight. He quit his job as an accountant and, after a short summer job as a firewatch, he had returned to the knight’s force. These small changes had great consequences for both his demeanor and his physical appearance and seeing him shirtless, she couldn’t help but notice how muscular he was now. She had to admit she found it rather appealing and she reached out to touch him as well while she still had the chance.

Even so, it also put her on edge just a little when she felt him wrap a small cloth around her wrists to restrain her to the bedpost. While she was grateful he didn’t use actual rope, lying down there looking up to him made her realize just how much bigger and now stronger he was than her. Was she really going to be okay being at his mercy like this?

That feeling only grew when her husband started to tug on her clothes and neglected a rather critical step in her eyes. “W-wait! You… Are you going to keep the lights on?”

Brendan stopped for a moment and frowned. “Yes. Is something wrong with that?”

Shanalotte glared. There was more than “something” wrong with that as far as she was concerned. Their usual romps were always short but sweet, with her on top, and she always made sure to turn the lights off. She didn’t particularly like how certain parts of her body looked, a feeling that had only increased thanks to lousy lovers past, and having sex in the dark alleviated that insecurity. The idea that she was going to be tied up, naked _and_ fully visible was enough to make her have seconds thoughts all over again.

Her husband seemed to notice. “Let’s try for a while? If you’re still uncomfortable, we can still turn them off. How does that sound?”

His voice betrayed genuine concern and that little fact brought her back from her fearful thoughts. He wasn’t out to put her at a disadvantage at all; he was willing to accommodate her to make it pleasant for her as well. It made her feel a bit more at ease again and as such, she decided to give him his way for now and see how she felt about it.

“Alright then. Just…be gentle, okay?”

He gave her a smile, though it bordered on a sly grin. “As long as you want me to.”

That remark was enough for her to turn red all over. That only increased when Brendan leaned in to steal another passionate kiss. Soon, his lips trailed to her neck and throat and his hands returned to their previous spot under her shirt. Soon, he lifted it over her head, leaving it tangled on the sheet that restrained her.

She gasped a little when his hands started to play with her still covered breasts. The slow motions of his warm palms were strangely pleasurable and she found herself making some small noises, obviously to his liking. She could feel how her body started to relax under his ministrations and it wasn’t long before she realized her husband picked up on it as well.

He gently placed a kiss on top of her chest, before reaching under her to unhook her bra and having it join her shirt. He sat back for a moment, seemingly content to just admire the view for a while. She swallowed, feeling rather exposed and vulnerable about him seeing her like this. 

“You have gorgeous breasts, you know that?”

Almost instantly, she could feel every part of her body flush. They rarely talked during sexual acts and seeing her own insecurities, it felt odd to hear her husband compliment her physique. Was he really seeing something she did not? Still, just as she was about to wonder if he was sincere, he leaned down again.

Her breath hitched in her throat when she felt lips on her chest again. The Bearer of the Curse gently kissed the pliant flesh, massaging it while keeping a close eye on her responses. Pleasurable warmth started to settle in Shanalotte’s stomach, but just as she began to relax, it seemed her husband grew bolder.

His thumbs suddenly rubbed across her nipples, the motion sending small shocks of electricity through her frame. He gently traced circles around the sensitive nubs of flesh and the Emerald Herald could feel how they hardened under his touches. She could feel her arch her back ever so slightly, her body displaying a kind of eagerness she had never thought possible of herself.

It was apparently what he was waiting for. Suddenly, he took one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking on it insistently. This elicited an involuntarily mewl on her end, a sound that was drawn out when he started to run his tongue across it. His free hand cupped her other breast, tweaking the nipple to match the movements of his mouth. She squirmed against her bonds, only to quickly realize just how wet she was getting between her legs.

For a moment, she was stunned. Was she really getting off on this so easily? Here she was, half-naked and tied up, unable to resist while her husband did as he pleased to her. She should be mortified that he could see her this defenseless, able to see every little imperfection of her appearance in the light of the room. So why could she already feel her core throbbing, rather than being scared out of her wits?

She wasn’t mistaken on that feeling. Brendan started to move his kisses lower, across her ribcage and down to her stomach. His hands slid down her sides, making her shiver as it tickled slightly. They soon found the belt of her pants and unbuckled it, before discarding her trousers as well. He didn’t immediately get rid of her panties, instead giving her an amused look upon seeing the small, clear wet spot on them.

Shanalotte blushed and looked away, but he simply pushed the garment aside to have a closer look at her aching womanhood. She bit her lip as he ran his finger across it and she could feel how some of her juices leaked out. Another small shiver ran through her body as he repeated the motion and after pulling off the obstructing underwear, he continued to stroke her ever so lightly, building up a steady rhythm.

By now, the Emerald Herald’s attempts not to make embarrassing noises were failing miserably. She was moaning freely now, her hips bucking against his hand. Goosebumps started to form across her flesh as she felt his warm body against hers, sucking at the nape of her neck while continuing his ministrations.

“You like that, Shan?”

At this point, Shanalotte couldn’t even give a coherent answer anymore. She could only nod and lean into him as much as possible, her eyes rolling back into her head. Her chest was heaving and her lower muscles jerked with every touch and stroke. It was sweet torture and when his fingers finally found her clit, all bets were off.

The second the rough tips of his fingers got to work on her bud, she was lost. Her legs parted by a force not her own, the pleasure inside her increasing rapidly. Every once in a while, she could hear Brendan groan as well, clearly taking pleasure in watching her so riled up. His tongue found her breasts again, eliciting some more involuntarily sounds from her. He seemed to be everywhere at once, not letting up on stimulating her body beyond what she could take. The pressure in her abdomen was swiftly mounting, but just as she thought she was going to come apart, he pulled back.

A frustrated whine left her mouth and she looked up to see why he had stopped. She soon got her answer. The Bearer of the Curse had left her side and crawled to the lower part of the bed. He carefully pushed her legs apart, seating himself between them. He spread apart her lower lips, seemingly admiring how wet he’d made her. She would’ve felt embarrassed at that, but she could only stare with wide eyes as he lay on his stomach, grabbed her ankles and hooked them over his shoulders, his head between her thighs.

A shocked moan reverberated through the room when his tongue started to assault her sensitive folds. He ran it across the entire length of her slit in a few times, before focusing his attention on her clit. He gently sucked the hood, before swirling his tongue around and across it. He slid it into her quivering entrance whenever she stopped making noise for a second, his grunts vibrating against her womanhood and only increasing the sensations that were quickly overwhelming her.

Whatever part of conscious thought was left in the Emerald Herald was mortified. She could no longer control the reactions of her body or the embarrassing moans coming out her mouth and she could not use her hands to stop him or muffle the noise. He was seeing her, hearing her lose control of herself, losing herself to a kind of ecstasy she had never felt before during sex. It frightened her, yet at the same time, she couldn’t get enough. 

She jerked violently as a finger slid into her core, joining the actions of his mouth. Her slick entrance gave no resistance and it was soon joined by a second, thrusting in and out of her at a leisurely pace. She clenched around it involuntarily, driven by an instinctual desire to find release. Her husband happily obliged her, his digits probing the inside of her womanhood for something. After a few seconds, they brushed against a certain spot deep within. The pleasure that threatened to make her come apart grew exponentially and when a third finger was added around the same time his tongue curled around her clit, she could take it no longer.

She came with shattering force, her cries loud enough that she was sure someone outside must have heard. Her lower muscles contracted violently and her head lolled back as pure bliss washed over her, rendering her pleasantly numb. Her moans slowly turned to whimpers and pants as her husband continued to thrust his fingers into her, milking her orgasm for all it was worth. 

As she lay there, dizzy but sated, she could feel the Bearer of the Curse run his hands across her body. She could feel him trail kisses across her stomach and shoulders, quietly waiting for her to recover. He curled up against her and she stilled for a moment when she could feel his bulging manhood through his boxershorts. It was clear the whole spectacle had aroused him and it brought her mind back to the reality of what had just transpired. 

Brendan had just seen her like this, making strange noises and probably looking quite ridiculous. She had been a mess and he got to see every little part of her that she wasn’t happy about clearly. She hadn’t even remembered to suck her stomach in like she usually did. And yet, he didn’t seem put off at all. In fact, he seemed to greatly enjoy seeing her like this, far more occupied with enjoying her body than criticizing it, and for some reason, it made her feel strangely at ease.

The Bearer of the Curse had often been kinder and more patient with her than she felt she deserved. She used to think him weak for putting up with all her issues, but she had gradually come to realize that any lesser man would have left long ago. He had stayed with her through a depression and a withering marriage, never once giving up on her. Even after all this, she was still desirable to him and she almost felt stupid for only thoroughly realizing it now. He loved her and if there was any man she could feel safe around, mentally and physically, it was him.

“Hey… Hey Shan… Are you alright?”

Her husband’s voice pulled her back from her thoughts. She turned to him and found him looking over her with genuine concern. She could only smile at that and was quick to reassure him.

“Yes, I’m fine. It was quite the ride though.”

He let out a shy chuckle. “Well, I’m glad I did acceptably. I had to admit I had a lot of fun…”

She laughed a little at that confession, though she hoped he wouldn’t be so bashful at her next proposition. “Hm-mm. Still, how about we take care of your needs now? I’d like a little more than just fingers too…”

That was all she needed to say. Suddenly, Brendan’s eyes lit up and she could see a grin form on his face. She returned it, not at all objecting when he leaned down and hungrily pressed his lips to hers again. She happily responded, their tongues battling for dominance while his hands eagerly set to exploring her body once more. It didn’t take long for her to become aroused again and it was clear her husband was more than happy to rise to the occasion. 

Pulling away from her, he sat back and started to undo his boxershorts. His erection instantly sprung free from its confines, leaving no question about his eagerness. She could already feel hot just watching it and she lay back, spreading herself to offer him a look at her own arousal. 

The Bearer of the Curse simply smirked and took hold of her hips in response. She grunted softly as he started to move his member against her swollen bud, determined to get her as wet as possible before taking her. It was utterly delicious to be teased like that, but it didn’t take long for her to grow impatient. 

“I want you in me, Bren…”

That was all he needed. He repositioned himself and slid into her with a single, smooth trust. She went rigid with bliss at the sudden sensation of being so full, taking a moment to adjust to him inside of her. Brendan took the cue and started out slow, keeping a steady pace that he knew she could keep up with. Still, she could tell he was holding back and she knew damn well they both needed more than that.

“Don’t hold back on me…”

Her husband instantly obeyed. Digging his fingers into her hips, he started to slam into her hard and fast, burying himself deep inside her. She couldn’t help but mewl and writhe against him as he did, her hands straining against the bonds that held her. The friction felt wonderful and her toes were curling at the glorious sensation of him taking her with wild abandon. 

By now, any thought of how she might sound or look during all of this was out the window. All she could be bothered with was the feeling of her husband inside her and obtaining the kind of high that only seemed just out of reach. She was getting there, greatly enjoying being brought to the edge while being helpless to stop it. And by Allfather Lloyd, was it better than reading crappy erotic novels in the bathroom. 

His frantic thrusts started to bump against that sweet spot inside her and Shanalotte knew she wouldn’t last long. He was thick enough that he stimulated her clit as he fluidly slipped in and out of her womanhood and the knot in her abdomen wound ever tighter. It brought her closer and closer, her muscles violently clenching around him, but just as she tried to hold off a little longer, he grazed against the most sensitive parts of her sex roughly and deliberately.

That was all she could take. Pure bliss rushed through her veins as her second orgasm took hold of her senses. A loud, lewd mewling spilled from her lips and the room became a blur, as she tensed before slackening against the sheets. Her body shuddered, her nerves set alight as she took in the welcome sensations, helped along by her husband’s movements before he followed her over the edge. 

Like her, Brendan didn’t last long. He came rather loudly, his grip on her hips increasing and burying himself deep within her as the brunt of his orgasm hit. He continued to thrust into her, spilling himself inside her and prolonging their climax. She didn’t protest at this, simply basking in the intimacy of the moment and realizing it was a good thing she was diligent about birth control. Still, she didn’t dwell on this very long, reveling in his warmth as he collapsed on top of her, as tired and sated as she was. 

They lay there quietly for a while, completely motionless as they tried to catch their breath and find the will to move. Neither one was in a rush, but eventually, the Bearer of the Curse pressed his mouth on hers, claiming it in a passionate kiss. Shanalotte happily obliged, too occupied to notice that he had untied her hands and wrapped them around his neck. After a while, he rolled off her and pulled her on top of his chest. She lay there contently, letting out soft breaths as he stroked her back. 

After what seemed like an eternity of peaceful silence, her husband seemed to have found his voice again. “So uh…did you enjoy it as much as I did?”

Once again, the full amount of what had transpired came to the forefront of her mind and she answered with slight embarrassment. “I more than enjoyed it. Though it might not have been the most flattering way you have ever seen me…”

He shook his head, smiling. “Not really. I thought you were absolutely stunning.”

The Emerald Herald bit back a small huff. She knew he was a sweet guy and that he was careful not to hurt her feelings. Still, she wasn’t the buxom heroine with the perfect figure and features from those novels she read and she didn’t want him to say anything he didn’t mean.

“You don’t have to say that to make me feel better.”

Almost immediately, a hurt expression came onto his face. Then and there, the atmosphere seemed to turn chilly just a little. He sighed before he answered.

“I mean it, Shan. You’re usually very quiet and reserved when we have sex. As if you’re thinking about other things and don’t really want to be there. I enjoyed seeing and hearing you like this, just being into it... I want you to like being with me...”

Shanalotte didn’t answer immediately. How could she? Sometimes, she had the feeling she was making things harder for other people no matter what she did. And it hurt her a lot to realize that what she thought was the right thing to do had left him feeling rejected and inadequate instead. 

She did really enjoy having sex with him. More than enjoyed it. What always got in the way were her own body issues and her fear of failure. She was afraid to be criticized like in the past, for him to turn away if she didn’t live up to an ideal image as other people had done. She had wanted to keep up the illusion of the perfect lover, especially when things were finally becoming good again.

Yet, it now hit her, Brendan didn’t see it that way. All that stuff she beat herself up over didn’t matter to him. He simply wanted to please her, to see her be comfortable with him. He was indeed looking for a lover, but he seemed to demand far less of her than she did of herself. He just wanted her, even if there were days that she was a total mess. 

She leaned against him, pressing a kiss on his chest and deciding to swallow her pride. Fixing their marriage often involved talking about personal things they didn’t like. Maybe she should say all those things she didn’t like admitting about herself.

“I do like being with you. I _love_ being with you. But sometimes, I just don’t like myself very much. How I look, how I act. At those times, I’m afraid you will feel the same.” 

It wasn’t pleasant to have to say those words. To admit to something she always tried to deny for fear it might be true. Still, it was good for him to know that it wasn’t always his fault whenever she felt unhappy. He deserved to know that.

It surprised her when he finally answered her. “I know. But if I didn’t like you, I wouldn’t be here, right? I love you, even if we have bad days sometimes.”

Despite herself, the Emerald Herald couldn’t help but feel emotional over that answer. Amidst all the issues that had been stacking up, she sometimes completely forgot why she married Brendan. Not because he was the first guy who actually stayed after a first encounter in a rundown bar. She married him because he was indeed worth keeping.

Suddenly, it just hit her again just how shitty those stupid smut novels really were and especially the supposed tall, dark and handsome heroes with their hidden tragic backstories. They were nothing but self-absorbed borderline psychopaths, their behavior bordering on obsessive and controlling. They wouldn’t stick by a woman if she was suffering from depression and wasn’t compliant with them all the time. They weren’t the ones that scooped up their lover and comforted her when she had a breakdown. They were the people who would have taken the Throne of Want for the quick fix it would provide and not recognize it for the Faustian pact it was. 

The Bearer of the Curse wasn’t like that. The fact that he was still here, still ready to fix things, proved that. Heck, the fact that they had been able to engage in bondage, with her being able to enjoy herself without fear of abuse or exploitation, indicated that there was still plenty of love and trust between them. He truly was a good man and a wonderful lover and husband and that was all she really wished for when it came down to it. She curled up against him, smiling, deciding to say some words that seemed long overdue.

“I love you too, Bren. I want you to know that.”

He didn’t respond to her verbally this time, but he didn’t have to. All she needed to see was his happy, perhaps even relieved smile. She felt him run his hands over her naked form affectionately and simply reveled in his closeness. She wanted nothing else right now; only to be there with him and enjoy the afterglow of their lovemaking.

Daily life, however, had other plans. After a while, she could hear her stomach growl insistently, only to soon start a small duet with Brendan’s. The both of them chuckled, but the moment Shanalotte got a look at the clock on the wall, a sense of shock came over her. 

“It’s already eight? Jeez! We usually don't take this long while…well… I really need to get started on dinner…”

She tried to get up and crawl off her husband, but he held onto her. “How about we go out for dinner instead? We’re too tired to cook anyway.”

She perked up, quite liking the idea of being served food rather than making it. “Sounds wonderful to me. Any place you have in mind?”

He nodded. “Remember Majula’s Bonfire?”

Instantly she snickered at the name. “How can I forget? That hole in the wall where we first met… You really want to go there?”

He grinned. “Well, it’s no longer a hole in the wall. A new owner got hold of it and renovated the entire place. It’s a proper restaurant now and with great food. Apparently the desserts are delicious.” 

The Emerald Herald realized the look on her face must have been hilarious. The idea that Majula’s Bonfire could somehow be saved from complete ruin was almost absurd to her. This was the dump where she first met her husband. Where they decided to have a one-nightstand after wallowing in their misery and consuming too much bootlegged beer. She had figured the place was dead by now and to hear it was now considered a good, successful business was almost as astounding as the fact that she and Brendan were still together and managing to work things out. It made her smile somewhat. It was almost symbolic. 

Perhaps the Bearer of the Curse felt the same way, judging by his eagerness for the idea. “So, do you want to go eat there and see if they really improved?”

Without thinking twice, she nodded. “Well, we are already being pretty adventurous today. I’d say we should try it out.”

He kissed her forehead and she instantly felt warm all over. “Alright, let’s get cleaned up and dressed then.”

With those words, he sat up, ready to finally leave the bed. She slipped out of his embrace, planning to quickly get ready and sate the different kind of appetite that was swiftly becoming more annoying by the second. Yet just as she was about to reach for her discarded clothes, something occurred to her.

“Oh, Bren… Before we go…”

Her husband looked up. “Yes, dear?”

“We should get rid of those bad novels. Or at least hide them. I don’t want Shalquoir to get back home from her rat hunts and get her paws on those.” 

For a second, Brendan’s eyes turned wide with horror. “Let’s. Only the Gods know what she would do with that kind of power…”

With that motivation uniting them as a couple, they quickly got to work. After a brief discussion, they quickly hid the offending books under the cushions of a nearby couch. Then, proud of their handiwork, they left for Majula’s Bonfire, all the while acknowledging how much fun this crime against literature had been and had definitely done them some good after all.


End file.
